What we tried to save
by imriel452
Summary: The events leading up to the Breaking form the eyes of Latra Posae Decume, Shadar Nor herself
1. Default Chapter

What We Tried To Save

The View of Latra Posae Decume

Chapter One 

I stood in the Hall of the Servants, listening to the plans that were being relayed over the tables. It had been like this since that fool-woman Mierin Eronaile created the Bore. She had destroyed the Sharom, where she was working, and she lost most of her team in the back-blast. Including Beidomon, who was stronger in the Power than most. I caught the endnote of Lews Therin Telamon's speech.

"...And so, we do not have time to finish the Choedan Kal, whatever you say, Latra. The best and quickest way to seal the Bore would be with the cuendillar seals! What happens if Tel Janin or Barid Bel or Duram Laddel attacked either of the places where the Choedan Kal and the Access Keys were being made?"

I walked over to the table, and faced Lews Therin Telamon and his supporters. He was an old friend, but since the Bore was made, he had become egotistical. Most of the male Aes Sedai supported his ideas, but they were all young hotheads. Most of the female Aes Sedai supported my idea. They were the fighters. We were the thinkers.

"Lews, you expect thirteen of us to go to Shayol Ghul and make a circle there. Do you even know what would happen if we channelled there? The Choedan Kal is a safe option. We can tie off the weaves, and shield Shayol Ghul and the dark One until we can think of a more sensible idea to close the Bore, which I might add, was created by your fool ex-lover Mierin Eronaile. What if the seals do not go according to plan? You could rip open the Dark One's prison completely!" I sat down in a high-backed chair, and many of the women cheered me. They all had different views on the Bore and the World, and they had all their little _Ajahs._ But they were the thinkers.

"We cannot allow for time, Latra. The Bore must be sealed suddenly, when they least expect it, and soon, before it is too late." I whispered into the ear of Vaerlin Sha'raelle, who was one of my main supporters.

"Vaerlin, what do you think we should do?" She stared at me, with her deep green eyes and black hair, she looked like a native from across the World Sea, and that she was.

"Latra, men are foolish. The female Aes Sedai, all of them, they support YOU, not the holder of the Ring of Tamyrlin. He needs a full circle for this. The only place that he will find six women helping him would be among the dozen female Forsaken."

I winced at this. Twenty-seven of the strongest Aes Sedai, male and female, that I had ever known had turned to the Shadow. Some were my friends. Barid Bel Medar, Kamarile Maradim Nindar, Nemene Damendar Boann, Saine Tarasind, Lillen Moiral. I had worked with them all, at one pint or another in my life. I knew that Lews was also torn by the male Forsaken. Tel Janin Aellinsar, the one they called Sammael, the Destroyer of Hope, was once Lews Therin's best friend. Now they were sworn enemies.

"Lews Therin Telamon, Lord of the Morning, Prince of the Dawn, The Dragon." I said to him, and he knew that what I was about to say would be harsh. I rarely used his full name. "What you say is stupid. You will be risking the lives of everything that exists in the World. Humans, Ogier, Nym, Da'shain. I am sure that the women will support me when I say this, but you are a pig-headed man, and none of us will be part of your fool-plan to get us all killed." I turned my back to Lews Therin Telamon, who was there staring at me, with the male Aes Sedai surrounding him.

"Latra Posae Decume, listen to me! If you turn your back on me now, then you turn your back on the Hall of the Servants forever. You and all your faithful concord."

I turned back to face him, and I stared at him, eye to eye.

"Lews, my old friend, talk to Ilyena. If you do this, there may not be a forever. There may not even be a NOW. Myself and my "faithful concord" as you call it can see what may result from this plan. I do not want to lose you as a friend, Lews Therin, and I do not want you to lose your life either. None of us want our lives to be lost. The Shadow has won battles at Tzora, the Gates of Heven, Rorn M'doi, Satelle, Culan Cuhan, Nol Caimaine and Sohadra. This war of Power may end until the Wheel is broken forever. I do not want to see that happen."

With this, I marched through the doors of the Hall of the Servants, with the female Aes Sedai following me. We walked into the streets of Paarad Disen. I sighed as I saw jo-cars and sho-wings carrying soldiers, beardless children carrying swords, and wearing streith or fancloth. I silently prayed to the Creator that we would win this war of Power, before the Wheel WAS broken forever.


	2. Whta we tried to save:Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Angrily, I stormed into my chambers in Paarad Disen. That fool-headed man would get us all killed, I thought. One of my servants came up to me warily as she saw that I was ready to snap off the head of anyone who came near me.

"Latra Sedai, the access keys have been finished, and I bring them to you." From behind her back, she produced two statues. They were a foot high, of a man and a woman. They were the ter'angreal that were needed to use the Choedan Kal. I had planned to use them with Lews, but now he was too set in his ways to change.

"Thank you Niaese." She was a pretty girl, one of the Da'shain, and a great singer. She was often picked to Sing alongside the Ogier and Nym. Carefully, I took these ter'angreal to a cellar beneath my chambers. I wove an Illusion around them, so that anyone who saw them would see an old box, and I inverted the weaves. I prayed to the Creator that these would be safe, for these were the only safe way to save the World from the Dark One.

As I walked up the stairs, there was a banging on the door of my chambers. As I opened them, Lews stormed in.

"Lews, how nice to see you. Please, come in." I said sarcastically as I shut the door. He ran his fingers through his hair as he spoke.

"Latra, what are you trying to prove to the World? If the Hall of the Servants is seen to be split, then the World will lose faith in us. We are Aes Sedai, servants to all. We must keep that up, even if it is only an illusion. I will not let the World think that has happened, Latra. Never." He took a deep breath and continued. "Mar Ruois has fallen to the Shadow. Every single person who would not turn to the Shadow was burned alive, Latra. Everyone. This is the work of the flaming Forsaken, I know, and every day, another Aes Sedai goes over to the side of the Shadow. At the moment, there are thirteen. Rumours say ten more, some say a hundred. But I can give you definite names. Elan Morin Tedroni has now been called Ishamael, the Betrayer of Hope. Tel Janin Aellinsar is now called the Destroyer of Hope. I gave him something to think about when I gave him that bloody scar. Joar Addam Nessosin, is now Asmodean. He was a musician, Latra, a bloody musician! Then there is the Daughter of the Night herself. Lanfear." He bit his lip at this point. I know he could not bear to say the name.

"Mierin Eronaile." I said softly, and he nodded. His previous lover, before he married his wife Ilyena. "Lews, we cannot save everyone on this World. Some people have to die. It needs to be balanced out. What happens, happens. You are ta'veren. You spin the Pattern round your neck like a noose. Whatever happens..." I stopped as I felt what I was sure was a tremor from the Earth. Then suddenly, Vaerlin stepped out of a Gateway. I was surprised. She usually sounded her chime before entering.

"Latra, Lews, we better get outside. The Betrayer and the Spider are attacking the city" I noticed that she was wearing all her Adornments. The various rings, bracelets, necklaces and the belt she was wearing were all ter'angreal, and for her own protection. She said the Betrayer and the Spider. Ishamael and Moghedian.

Lews and I ran outside, holding the One Power, ready to channel at any moment. Having two separate forces attacking the city was a cruel trick by the Creator. Hurriedly we ran, avoiding the blasts from shock-lances coming from the jo-cars and sho-wings. We made our way into the Hall of the Servants, where we found the rest of the Aes Sedai loyal to us. Hurriedly we made our plans.

"Vaerlin, take all those strong in Earth to the South side of the city. Skim onto the rooftops. We will need pitfalls, tremors and earthquakes everywhere we find a marching horde of the Shadow." I ordered, and Vaerlin took all the men and women into the city, ready to fight with guerrilla tactics.

"Jahrid, take all those who are strong in air. Let's make it a bit stormy for them as well, eh women!" Lews laughed. He was in his best moods during fighting. Jahrid took off with his group, which was made up of significantly more women than men. But air and water were more feminine Powers, compared to Earth and Fire. Spirit was equal.

"That leaves us with the people strongest in Fire and Spirit, Lews. How can we use these to their best advantage?" I was confused. I did not know any way that Spirit and Fire could be used, unless he meant to...

"Telamon," I said with mock severity, "are you planning to sever the channellers?" Lews Therin Telamon smiled at me. "My old friend, the channellers are the leaders. If we can sever them, then we can take away their confidence."

I was surprised. Lews Therin had thought of a good idea that did not include the slaughter of thousands of people.

If I had known how wrong I was, I would never had left my chambers with him.


	3. What we tried to save: Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Lews and I led the remainder of the Aes Sedai through the city of Paarad Disen. We found small groups of Darkfriends, but they were soon taken care of. We were in a rush. It was not pretty. We made our way to the main gates of Paarad Disen, where we could see the forces of Ishamael the Betrayer waiting for us. Lews climbed up the stairs that ran over the main gates. It was amazing how quickly they had been built. It had only been three years since the start of the War of Power, and it had been built in that time. Over three leagues of wall, in three years. It was amazingly done, I thought. I heard Lews shout over the wall to the Darkfriends outside.

"Betrayer, you are insane to attack Paarad Disen and the Hall! Leave now, while you can still have your head, and your ability to channel!" he shouted. A man stepped out of the crowd. I knew him well. He was one of Lews' friends in the days before the Bore. His name was Elan Morin Tedroni. He was the second strongest man I had ever known who could channel.

"How mocking you are, Dragon. I will always win over you. It has been so ever since there was Time itself. You and I will see each other again a thousand times, and I will still win." I remembered Tedroni's philosophy now.

One of his most famous books "The Disassembly of Reason" was republished since the Bore was created, and he had written that since Time was created, that there had been a constant struggle between the Creator and the Dark One, and that in every Age, there had been a champion of the Dark One and the Creator. It seemed that Elan Morin believed himself to be the Champion of the Dark One, and because of this, it seemed that it was the Dragon who was the Creator's champion. I hoped that the side of the Creator would win this battle.

I felt Lews holding saidin, and he created a shield around our little force of channellers, who by now were all holding the One Power. Then Ishamael attacked.

His force suddenly hurled fireballs at us. They were reflected off the shield, and we heard a few screams from beneath us. They Elan Morin Tedroni the Betrayer of hope channelled. He stood out of the crowd, and as he channelled, I heard Lews say "Jump away from the wall! He is using balefire!" As we jumped, the walls collapsed, for the sole reason that the gates of Paarad Disen were destroyed. As they charged, we knew that it was too close for us to use the Power: we would more likely do damage to our own force. So we drew our weapons, swords for the men, and daggers for the women. We did not see the point in weapons. We were fighting in small groups, back to back. I was back to back with Vaerlin, when we came up against the Spider. Moghedien was running away from the fighting, hiding away like the spider she was.

"Vaerlin, I am going after the Spider." She nodded her agreement, and I ran after her. She saw me as I ran after her, and I screamed after her.

"Run into your little web, Moghedien. I will find you." She ran through the streets of the city, but she did not know where she was going. She was born in Comelle, and that was destroyed. I had spent my entire life in this city, I knew all the back alleys, and I quickly cornered her. I stared into her eyes. She stared into mine. She suddenly channelled. I did know no about it until after I read the resonance. She had inverted her bloody weaves. I lost consciousness for some reason. I think that she used some weave against me that I had never known about. I only woke up after Vaerlin slapped me into consciousness.

"Welcome back Latra."

"My head, what in the name of the Creator happened?" I asked Vaerlin, and I got the answer I had prayed for, but never expected.

"We won. Lews Therin captured the Betrayer. He is being held in the hall of the Servants. Lews decided to wait for you to be found before they pressed judgement. He is going to be severed, without a doubt, and I think that is all he deserves." I got up, and I was a bit unsteady on my feet, so I held on to Vaerlin. But my voice was still as strong as it always was.

"Take me to the Hall of the Servants."


	4. What we tried to save: Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Vaerlin and I made our way to the Hall of the Servants, trying to ignore the scenes of destruction that surrounded us. Luckily, the Hall did not seem to be touched in any way, shape or form. I found Jahrid waiting for me in the entrance hall.

"Latra, Vaerlin. I am glad that you are in one piece, Latra. We were worried about you. When you ran after Moghedien, and you didn't come back, we thought that..."

"Jahrid, I would sincerely advise you to please keep that mouth of yours closed before I do something that you would regret."

"I beg your pardon, Latra Aes Sedai. I have been told to take you to the Chambers where the Dragon and Elan Morin Tedroni are waiting. As are the remaining Aes Sedai. Jahrid led Vaerlin and myself into the Chamber where the severing of criminals took place. I walked into the Chamber where Lews Therin Telamon waited for me, and as I talked to him I heard one of my followers, Deindre suddenly spoke up.

"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that will become legends. Legends that will become myth and even myth will be long forgotten. The Eye will be created and guarded by the Green Man, and pierced by the Reborn Lord of the Morn."

I dragged Deindre out of the Chamber, muttering an apology to Lews. As we got into the corridor, I whispered to her quickly.

"Deindre, do you often have the Foretelling?" Deindre replied that she did not. Thank the Creator. I did not want her having more Foretellings. "Keep this quiet. D not tell anyone, do you hear me, Deindre?" The poor girl looked scared as she stammered "Yes, Latra Sedai." I motioned her to go back into the Chamber, and I sat down on a carved seat of elstone. If the Reborn Lord of the Morn was Lews Telamon reborn, then that means that this battle between the Dark One and the Light may not finish for thousands of years. Light! I shuddered. But Deindre mentioned the Green Man. That could only be one creature.

Someshta the Nym.

I walked back into the Chamber, and sat beside Lews Therin. He was wearing the Ring of Tamyrlin on his finger, I noticed. The symbol of his power, a snake biting his it's tail.

"What was all that about, Latra?" he murmured to me.

"Deindre had one of her turns. She always says strange things when she does." Better to lie then to tell him about her Foretelling, I thought. Lews Therin nodded. Around us, every Aes Sedai could see what we were doing, so Lews shouted out loud and clear, "Bring the prisoner in!" In came Ishamael. He did not look like he had been subjected to anything, but then followers of the Light would want to have as little to do with one of the Forsaken as possible. Lews Therin stepped up to him, and punched him! Ishamael doubled up on the floor, and Lews started to kick him constantly.

"You bloody Shadow follower bloody deserve all that you bloody well get!" It took three men to actually hold Lews off him.

"Lews, we actually need him for questioning." I called to him, and as he sat down, I smiled secretly at him. He was right; he did get everything that he deserved, but as I could see that Lews was too mad to think rationally, I conducted the trial of Ishamael the Forsaken.

"Elan Morin Tedroni, you have been brought before the Hall of the Servants for severing. Your crimes are many in number, and the blood on your hands will stay there long after you are unable to channel. Can you think of any reason why we should not sever you?"

Elan Morin stared up at me through his beaten face, and laughed at me.

"You fool, Decume, you really think you can sever one of the Chosen?" He broke off as we heard shouting from outside. Then the doors burst open.

Lews was channelling as soon as he saw that it was Be'lal who was bursting through the doors, shouting "Ishamael, move with the speed of the Great Lord!" Ishamael broke away from the guards who were holding onto him, and ran with Be'lal. Then the ceiling started to collapse

We all ran outside, but we could see no sign of the Forsaken or any of their followers. We all escaped unharmed, save for scratches and bruises.

"Light, we could all have died in there." Cried a female Aes Sedai called Oselle.

Lews stood up on a piece of stone, and shouted to the crown. His deep voice was clear and concise. His greying hair was held back with a thin band of cueran, but he was still a noble figure.

"This has been the final straw. The Hall has been attacked itself. I do not care what you say; I am leading a strike on Shayol Ghul tomorrow. Who is with me?" I gasped. What he was planning to do was madness. It was only then that I saw that every male Aes Sedai had moved to the side of Lews Therin Telamon.

"Lews, we are not like cosa. We will think. We do, however wish you and your..." I quickly counted all the male Aes Sedai "...hundred companions the very best of luck."

They all departed, and I knew that it was probably the last time I would ever see any of them again, so I shouted back to Lews "Good lucky, my old friend." And from the distance, I saw him wave back to me.

This was the end of the friendship of Latra Posae Decume and Lews Therin Telamon. Both were Aes Sedai, but one was male, the other female. We were both alike in too many ways for us not to be friends, and even now, as I think of him, I still shed a tear of farewell, as I did when he went to seal the Bore.


	5. What we tried to save: Chapter Five

Chapter Five

It was nerve-racking waiting to hear news about Lews Therin and his hundred or so companions, and I was voicing my feelings to Vaerlin. I also told her about Deindre's Foretelling.

"What if something goes wrong, Vaerlin? We could all end up dead. The fool Telamon. He should never have worn the Ring of Tamyrlin. We should have put a woman on the Seat to wear the ring."

Vaerlin leaned over the table and spoke softly. "Well, from now on, why don't we? With men, the ring is called the Ring of Tamyrlin, with women; it would be the Ring of Amyrlin. The men have split from us anyway. Why can't we form our own tower? That way, the women can guard the World until the Dragon is Reborn. However, that means that this Dragon will have to die." Vaerlin had an interesting idea. A Tower that Guards. Tar Valon in the Cultured Tongue. Maybe it was time that women only wore the Ring of Amyrlin.

"Vaerlin, the place were the Choedan Kal access keys were being made was overrun by Sammael's forces last night. I received reports about it this morning. Apparently they touched nothing, but they ransacked the place. Everyone there is dead, but I know that Sammael does not have the access keys."

"How is that, Latra?"

"I have them in my chambers. They have been placed under an Inverted Illusion. No one will find them. I do not want anyone to find them. That is why I am sending them away, along with as many items to do with the Power as possible." Vaerlin gasped at this.

"How, and where?"

I breathed deeply, and laid out my plans.

"I am going to send them away with the Da'shain Aiel. They are pacifists. We cannot guard them any longer, not when we have the Forsaken and the Shadowwrought across the World. I am sending them away. I am going to send some sisters with them, eventually, so that they will be able to keep their Covenant. Ogier will also be going sometime. This way, they can build themselves a city to remember the World as it was." Vaerlin looked surprised, but she agreed that it was the best thing to do in the circumstances.

Naiese walked through the door, after knocking, and told em something I had been waiting to hear.

"Latra Sedai, Vaerlin Sedai," she made a small bow. "I have heard reports that the Bore has been successfully sealed, with most of the Forsaken on the other side.

"Thank the Light! Niaese, do you wish to join the celebrations? You may see Willim there." Niaese smiled at Latra. Willim was fifteen, a year younger than she, and she felt love towards him.

"Thank you, Latra Sedai." She ran off smiling. I went to a small cupboard, and brought out a flask of wine. I passed a glass to Vaerlin, and poured one for myself.

"Here is to the successful sealing of the Bore, and also the sealing in of the remaining Forsaken, and thank the light that Lews survived." Vaerlin and I clinked our glasses together.

How foolish we were.

We only found out later that the male half of the Source was tainted. Then I heard that Lews Therin had killed all his family and servants in his palace, and then had killed himself by holding too much of the Power. There is now a volcano where his grave is. Eventually, all the men had the taint. Some survived in the Ogier Steddings but many could not bear to be separated from the Source completely.

So I decided to take charge.


	6. What we tried to save: Chapter Six

Chapter Six 

I summoned Deindre, Oselle and another of my followers, Solinda, to my chambers. Vaerlin was already there, and I told Oselle and Solinda about Deindre's Foretelling. I told them to go to a small anteroom off the Hall of the Servants. I also asked them to summon Someshta and Jonai, who was the leader of the Da'shain Aiel in Paarad Disen. I followed them, carrying a bundle. When I got there, Someshta and the others were already there. I noticed a deep gash across Someshta's face. It was as if someone had got a shocklance and burned him with it.

I placed my bundle on the table, and unwrapped it. Inside was Callandor, the third strongest sa'angreal in the world that was attuned to the male side of the Power. The cloth was actually the banner of the Dragon. I then left them to their arguing and wove an Illusion around me, so that no one could see me.

Jonai shuddered when he came into the room, I saw him. He was scared of the Dragon Banner.

"What good is your Foretelling," Oselle was almost shouting, "if you cannot tell us when?" I could obviously see that she was shaking with anger. "The World rests on this! This future! The Wheel itself!" Deindre turned to her, and her dark eyes did not show her usual fire, and she replied to Oselle in a calm voice. "I am not the Creator. I can only tell you what I Foretell."

Solinda stood up, calming them down. Her streith gown showed a pale blue, calm like her mood at the moment. "Peace, sisters. The time for contention among ourselves is past. Jaric and Haindar will both be here by tomorrow."

"Which means that we cannot afford mistakes, Solinda." Oselle was trying to keep calm, I could hear it in her voice, but her face showed that she was anything but calm. Her eyes were blazing like wildfire, and her face showed a lot of stress lines.

"We must know..."

"Is there any chance of...?" At this point, I could see that Jonai had stopped taking any notice of the three sisters. Then he looked at Someshta, and nodded to him in greeting. I saw Someshta finger that rift, and he asked Jonai "Do I know you?"

Jonai stared into the hazelnut eyes of the last Nym and said, "I am your friend. You rode me on your shoulders when I was a child. Do you remember nothing of it?"

"Singing," Someshta murmured. "Was there singing? So much is gone. The Aes Sedai say some will return. You are a Child of the Dragon, are you not?" I saw Jonai wince at the mention of that name, and I felt his pain. Too much trouble had come out of that name. Da'shain had served Aes Sedai, and not just the Dragon. But who believed that now?

"Jonai?" I heard Solinda call Jonai's name. "All is in readiness, Jonai?"

"All Aes Sedai. Solinda Sedai..." I knew what he was thinking. "Solinda Sedai, some of us wish to remain. We can serve, still."

Solinda took a deep breath and spoke to Jonai. "Do you know what happened to the Aiel at Tzora?" Jonai nodded, and Solinda smiled sadly, stroking his hair. "Of course you do. You Da'shain have more courage than...Ten thousand Aiel linking arms and singing, trying to remind a madman of who they were and who he had been, trying to turn him with their bodies and a song. Jaric Mondoran killed them. He stood there, staring as though at a puzzle, killing them, and they kept closing their lines and singing. I am told he listened to the last Aiel for almost an hour before destroying him. And then Tzora burned, one huge flame consuming stone and metal and flesh. There is a sheet of glass where the second greatest city in the World once stood." Solinda wiped a tear from her eye. I could see that Jonai was upset too, but he stood up tall and proud.

"Many people had time to flee, Aes Sedai. The Da'shain earned them time to flee. We are not afraid." Solinda's hand tightened in his hair, and I saw Jonai grimace. "The citizens have already fled Paarad Disen, Jonai. Besides, the Da'shain have yet a part yet to play, if Deindre could only see far enough to say what. In any case, I meant to save something here, and that something is you."

Jonai replied sullenly. "As you say, we will care for what you have given into our charge until you want them again." Solinda loosened her grip, and I could see the thankfulness from my place in the corner.

"Of course, the things we gave you. You will carry the...things...to safety, Jonai. Keep moving, always moving, until you find a place of safety, where no one can harm you."

"As you say, Aes Sedai."

"What of Coumin, Jonai? Has he calmed?" Jonai suddenly looked very scared. I knew from the expressions on his face that he did not want to tell Solinda but he had to.

"My father is hiding somewhere in the city. He tried to talk us into...resisting. He would not listen, Aes Sedai. He found an old shocklance somewhere, and..." He would not go on, and we all knew what he had done. Solinda was crying.

"Keep the Covenant, Jonai. If the Da'shain lose everything else, see the keep the Way of the Leaf. Promise me."

Jonai was shocked. "Of course, Aes Sedai." I guessed what he was thinking. I am sure that he thought Solinda mad! Lose the Way of the Leaf! The Aiel WERE the Way of the Leaf.

Solinda looked into Jonai's eyes, and spoke to him softly. "Go now, Jonai. I want you far from Paarad Disen by tomorrow. And remember-keep moving. Keep the Aiel safe." I saw Jonai bow. Solinda had already rejoined the argument with Deindre and Oselle.

"Can we trust Kodam and his fellows, Solinda?"

"We must, Oselle. They are young and inexperienced, but barely touched by the taint and...And we have no choice."

"Then we will do what we must. The sword will wait. Someshta, we have a task for the last of the Nym, if you will do it. We have asked too much of you; now we must ask more." At this point, Jonai bowed formally as Someshta stood.

"What is it that you ask, Solinda?" At this point, I released the source and spoke to Someshta. "Someshta, we are asking you to be the guardian of the Eye of the World, which will be a Well of pure Saidin. We are hoping to work through the taint to create it. Also in your protection will be the Horn of Valere, the banner of the Dragon and one of the seven seals that hold the Dark One's prison shut. You may have to wait three years, or thirty, or three thousand, however."

"Latra Posae Decume, I will take on this great honour your are bestowing upon me. I will happily wait until the Wheel stops to serve you." I smiled at this. It was exactly what we were trying not to happen: the Wheel stopping.


	7. What we tried to save: Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven 

I felt guilty after that meeting with the last of the Nym. I had sent fifty men and fifty women to their deaths. But the Eye was made pure. The remaining Aes Sedai who were left, and remembered the time before the Bore was created were dwindling. There were at least one dying every year, and we were finding less and less girls who had the ability to channel.

It was also hard for us, for we were constantly attacked by Shadowwrought and Darkfriends. I had followed the style of my dead friend Lews Therin, and faced the enemy in battle myself. I had done this so many times, I had earned the nickname "Shadar Nor." Cutter of the Shadow, in the cultured tongue. But I was growing old now, I was nearing six hundred, and my hair was more white and grey than it was brown. It was the same of Vaerlin, Deindre, Oselle and the others. We wished that we could have been placed inside a stasis box, so we could cure our aches and pains. But we were guarding the World from the Shadow, and we had to fight for every beat of our heart. We had started to call ourselves the "White Tower", and we also used the name "Tar Valon", which was Vaerlin's idea six decades ago, before all of this happened. Before the Bore was created. Deindre had also started to Foretell more often, so we started to write them down. We did not know when they would come into play, but they would, like the pieces on a sha'rah board, so we wrote them down, for the hope that someone would understand them in a later Age. Deindre had fondly called them "The Prophecies of the Dragon." None of us wanted to change it, so the name stuck.

Vaerlin entered my chambers. Her eyesight was going now, and she was also losing her hearing, but her wits were still as sharp as ever.

"Latra, have you any idea what we have lost in the ways of knowledge in the last sixty-odd years? Yes, of course you have. I ask you this every time I see you." She always had her head stuck in a book now." I smiled at the absent-minded person in front of me.

"Come sit down Vaerlin. How have you been these past three days, my oldest friend?" She stared at me with her small wrinkled face, and I realised for the first time in my life that we were really ageing. It scared me. The girls that we were finding were unable to hold a tenth of the Power that we were once able to hold, when we were younger. My health was also deteriorating. My joints ached in the winter, and I was also developing some heart problems, that no Restorer could cure.

"I have been fine, Latra, just fine. I have been keeping myself in my room, with my books, and my knowledge. Why, Latra? Have you someth..." She stopped as I clutched my heart in pain, and collapsed to the floor in agony.

I awoke in my bed, with seven of my sisters around me. I could see Vaerlin and Oselle clearly, but not the five others, but I guessed that they were Solinda, Farenila, Jerian, Glyndis and Darelle. I tried to sit up, but had continuing spasms in my chest. I guessed that this would be the way I died.

"Listen to...me. I want...you to...follow my...instructions." I gasped. I was finding it extremely hard to breathe. "We must...protect the...World. The...White Tower...must be...a building. The sisters...will be made...into Ajahs. Oselle will...be the...start of the...Red Ajah. Guard...against male...channellers until...the Dragon is...reborn" I had planned how I wanted the Ajahs to be formed, but I did not imagine telling my sisters like this.

"Solinda...you are Green Ajah...Battle Ajah. Stand...guard until...the Battle...the Guards is here." Solinda nodded, crying. She knew I was dying, as did the others. So did I. The Battle that Guards: Tarmon Gai'don. I told each of the others what Ajah they would become, and what they would follow.

Farenila was White Ajah. She would seek logic throughout the world, trying to answer questions.

Jerian was Yellow Ajah. She was the best Restorer I knew, and their philosophy was in the study of healing.

Glyndis was Blue Ajah. She was a great diplomat, and a confident speaker in the White Tower.

Darelle was Grey Ajah. She would teach meditation, and the other ways to seek answers. Then I came to Vaerlin.

"Vaerlin...my oldest friend...You are to be...Brown Ajah...You will...forsake this...world in...search of...knowledge. You will...also be...the first...Amyrlin Seat...You will...wear the...Great Serpent...ring as will...every girl who...enters through...our doorway...Now I want...all of you...to swear...with me this oath." My chest pains stopped for a moment, and I was able to get this out with the tone of voice that was like the Latra Posae Decume of old.

"We swear to be the first eight members of the Eight Ajah, known as the Purple Ajah. We will guard all knowledge that we can to do with the Dragon and the Age of Legends. This we can present to him when he is reborn. Each of us will pick one successor from our Ajah to follow us when we go to the Creator. This way, we can be remembered forever." They all swore this, and I saw that they were all crying, especially Vaerlin and Solinda. I broke off and my chest pains came back.

That was then Lews came and crouched by my side. When he spoke, my pain was gone.

"Latra, my oldest friend, come with me to the Creator. You have done more than enough on this World."

"Lews..." I murmured. All my memories started to come back to me.

When I graduated from the Collam Daan.

When I became Aes Sedai.

Meeting Lews Therin Telamon for the first tie, when we were young, in our thirties.

Diving of the mountains of Comelle as a child.

Sitting in the Hall of the Servants.

Then came the bad memories. Lews and I arguing about how to seal the Bore. The split of the Hall of the Servants. Lews dying. The constant fighting against the Shadowwrought. The death of my friends, who I had laughed and cried with over the decades and centuries.

"Lews, I don't feel pain. Wait for me. That light is beautiful, Lews..."

"_Here ends the story of Latra Posae Decume. She who had worked alongside the Dragon, and has fought with in the Hall of the Servants. She had always been known as a fighter, a warrior. But she was a woman who changed the way the World. For it was she who formed Tar Valon, the White Tower, and it was she who took on the Creator's role, and shaped the World with her own two hands."_

_This record was found in a stasis box in what is now known as the Mountains of Mist. It is believed that the person who wrote the comment at the end was none other than Vaerlin Sha'raelle, the first Amyrlin Seat, and friend of Latra Posae Decume. Inside the stasis box as well were a number of items, including several letters, and a sheaf of papers, believed to have been written by the Dragon. But if these are to be released, please review this story that I have retold for you._


End file.
